_I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and He gave ear unto me._ THE FACULTY OF HUMAN THOUGHT The whole psalm may be used to illustrate the faculty of human thought. Throughout the whole the author speaks of “remembering, considering, musing,” making “diligent search,” medit... [ Continue Reading ]
_My soul refused to be comforted._ REFUSING TO BE COMFORTED I. When a man’s soul refuses to be comforted, possibly he may be right. He may have a great spiritual sorrow, and some one, who does not at all understand his grief, may proffer to him a consolation which is far too slight. Not knowing how... [ Continue Reading ]
_I remembered God, and was troubled._ REMEMBERING GOD This was a very sad condition. Asaph must have felt that it was unnatural to entertain such gloomy thoughts of God. I. A test of our condition. Do we remember Him and become troubled? Then our state is wrong. If troubled now at the remembrance... [ Continue Reading ]
_I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times._ LESSONS DRAWN FROM SCRIPTURE HISTORY From the history of the Bible we may learn much concerning-- I. The character of God. 1. His wisdom. 2. His power. 3. His holiness and justice. 4. His goodness. 5. His faithfulness to His pr... [ Continue Reading ]
_I call to remembrance my song in the night._ THE SONG IN THE NIGHT Among all those pains and pleasures which make up so large a part of every human lot, none are more real and more vivid than the pains and the pleasures of memory. Much that is sad, and tragic, and lamentable in the past would die... [ Continue Reading ]
_Will the Lord cast off for ever?_ and will He be favourable no more? AGAINST EXCESSIVE GRIEF I. The grief which nature dictates, and which, in moderation, the God of nature does not prohibit, becomes, in its excess, a practical accusation of the conduct of providence. The psalmist admits, that in... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hath God forgotten to be gracious?_ A QUESTION FOR A QUESTIONER The question before us is what the logician would call a reductio ad absurdum; it reduces doubt to an absurdity; it puts into plain words the thought of an unbelieving mind, and at once it is seen to be a horrible notion. “Hath God f... [ Continue Reading ]
_I said, This is my infirmity._ RELIGIOUS DEPRESSION I. The symptoms of religious depression. A settled depression of mind, in a perplexing debility and agitation of spirit, an apprehension of God’s indignation, a prevailing doubt of our pardon and acceptance before Him, a dark view of the events... [ Continue Reading ]
_I will remember the works of the Lord._ TIME PAST, PRESENT AND TO COME (with Psalms 39:4). We are so made that we live between an unalterable past and an uncertain future, with no time in our possession except that changing line which we call the present. Every present, as we live on, becomes a pa... [ Continue Reading ]
_I will meditate also of all Thy work._ MEDITATION I. Motives to meditation. 1. It is the proper occupation of the mind. 2. Our character in the sight of God depends on the character of our thoughts. 3. Meditation is essential to the success of God’s Word. II. Subjects for meditation. 1. God’... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thy, way, O God, is in the sanctuary._ GOD’S WAY REVEALED IN THE SANCTUARY I. God’s way of creation. II. His way of providence. III. The way of grace. IV. The way of human well-being. The light that is run up at the masthead does not require the vessel to stop sailing in order that it may shin... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thy way is in the sea, and Thy path in the great waters, and Thy footsteps are not known._ THE PERPLEXING FORCE IN HUMAN LIFE I. There are evils in our way, unseen by us, from which it will be God’s care to deliver us. 1. An evil may be in our way, but too far off for us to see. It does not need... [ Continue Reading ]